China vs United States: Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, female

China
12.22 million
in 2024
United States
3.56 million
in 2023
China rank
1st
United States rank
2nd

Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, female over time

  • China
  • United States
4.0M6.0M8.0M10.0M12.0M200320132024

How they compare

China currently reports 12.22 million against 3.56 million in United States, a difference of 8.66 million.

That makes China's figure about 3.4 times United States's.

Across all 10 years both countries report, China has been ahead every year.

China ranks 1st and United States ranks 2nd of 146 countries.

China has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade China United States Difference Ahead
2010s 9.50 million 4.08 million 5.42 million China
2020s 11.55 million 3.40 million 8.15 million China

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, female, China or United States?
China, at 12.22 million against 3.56 million in United States as of 2024.
What is the difference in enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, female between China and United States?
8.66 million, with China ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and United States?
10 years are reported by both, from 2014 to 2023.
How do China and United States rank globally for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, female?
China ranks 1st and United States ranks 2nd of 146 countries.
Where does this data come from?
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, female (number). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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China vs United States: Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, female. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/enrolment-in-tertiary-education-isced-5-programmes-female-number-2/china/united-states/

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About this data

Indicator
Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, female (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
364 places, 7,676 data points, 1997–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release